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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23157037">Painful Truth</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyNotASecretAO3Account/pseuds/TotallyNotASecretAO3Account'>TotallyNotASecretAO3Account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Royalty, Child! Deceit, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:42:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,610</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23157037</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyNotASecretAO3Account/pseuds/TotallyNotASecretAO3Account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt by @WritingPromptForSandersSides on tumblr and Instagram<br/>"I am a prince, thank you very much, it'll do you well to remember that when addressing me next time."<br/>Prince Roman has never stepped outside his castle walls. He decides to sneak out one day, just to see what life is like. He's in for a rude awakening when a stranger decides to show him what life is truly like for his subjects in his oh so great and wonderful kingdom.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Credit to @WritingPromptsForSandersSides over on tumblr and Instagram for the prompt!<br/>"I am a prince, thank you very much, it'll do you well to remember that when addressing me next time."</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If you were to tell the Prince that by 3 o'clock that day, he would be sitting in the forest with his own sword held to his throat by a man with a mischievously bright glint in his eye, he would have called you crazy.</p><p>    Not that that mattered much; what he thought of it wouldn't change his situation at all, which was exactly the crazy scenario described above. He found himself wishing he never got out of bed that morning. But of course, he just had to decide today was the perfect day to sneak out of the castle and see what life was like in the nearby villages. </p><p>    Staring down at the silver blade pressed uncomfortably close against his neck, he now wished he had let someone know where he was going.</p><p>    "What are you doing here?" The stranger demanded, and Roman tore his eyes away from the sword to look up at him. The stranger's lips were pressed tightly shut and his jaw was firmly set. His eyes gleamed with determination, and were an unnaturally vivid hue of violet. Roman would be insane to not admit that it was actually pretty attractive - but that was not to be focused on right now.</p><p>    "I-" The prince tried to press away from the blade, but only managed to bruise his head against the tree behind him, "I'm exploring!"</p><p>    "In my woods?" The stranger raised one brow in question, and Roman shoved his fear to the side. He was a prince! He didn't need to put up with this kind of disrespect!</p><p>    "Your woods? All of this land is owned by the king!" Roman said, hoping his spark of confidence would make the stranger falter. </p><p>    Instead, the stranger only laughed. "That doesn't mean anything. Are you one of those royalty worshippers? Sorry, but I'm not a part of your cult, idiot."</p><p>    "I am a prince, thank you very much. It'll do you well to remember that when addressing me next time."</p><p>    "You are?" Roman grinned; though the stranger covered it up quickly, he didn't miss the slight hint of surprise in the stranger's voice. Maybe he could get the upper hand soon! But the shock vanished much too quickly to be of any use.</p><p>    The stranger looked him up and down, and Roman mentally shrank back under his harsh gaze. When he finally reached his eyes again, the man nodded slowly, "Well, you certainly have their over the top fabrics and jewelry, but a lot less of it than normal." The stranger grinned, pulling the sword back. Roman only had the chance to take in a relieved breath before he froze again, as the stranger stepped closer and blocked his escape, "Tell me, is this your attempt at a disguise? Did you sneak out?"</p><p>    "No!" Roman exclaimed, but he realized too late that he had said that much too quickly and much too loudly. It was clear he was lying. He suddenly shoved the stranger away from him, though he didn't move from the tree. He watched his opposition carefully.</p><p>    "You did, didn't you?" The stranger chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "So Princey, wanna share with the class why you would do such a brainless thing? Don't you know how dangerous it is for a royal to be seen right now?"</p><p>    "Dangerous?" Roman's face twisted in confusion, "Why would it be dangerous?"</p><p>    "Oh I don't know, maybe just because every person in the kingdom wants your head on a stick."</p><p>    "What?!" Roman was shocked; what was that supposed to mean? "That's not true, the subjects love me and my family!"</p><p>    "What rock have you been living under?" The stranger laughed again, and Roman hated it. It was degrading and full of pity, and he would be thankful to never hear it again, "Maybe those tall castle walls function the same as a rock. No one likes you or your family, but you wouldn't know that, would you? Have you ever gone to see anyone you've supposedly been ruling over?"</p><p>    Roman opened his mouth to fire back at him, but stopped. He was right, when had he last seen his people? It wasn't like he didn't want to, but his father wouldn't let him. He snuck out precisely because of that, but... They were always so busy, and he was told their subjects understood! Reports came back weekly of how amazing the kingdom was going, so why would they hate him? They were the wealthiest and most powerful land in all of the world!</p><p>    The stranger paused, looking at the prince carefully. He pointed the sword at him again, though with a much weaker grip this time and no real threat. It was more a subtle nod towards him than anything else.</p><p>    "You really don't know, do you?"</p><p>    "Know what?" Roman demanded, "What don't I know?"</p><p>    "Oh, nothing Princey," The stranger rolled his eyes, twisting the sword around in his hands, "Just that your kingdom is completely falling apart, that your people are starving and dying of sickness, and half the children are orphans at this point. That these woods are their only safe haven that I have sworn to protect from strangers and royals like you." He stared at him, "Like I said, nothing."</p><p>    "That's impossible!" Roman immediately jumped on the defence, "Father said... He said they were all happy, that the kingdom has been doing better than ever before in history! He said that-"</p><p>    "He said this, he said that," The stranger mocked, rolling his eyes again. "He lied. Everyone is suffering, and no one is helping. You sit there on your throne eating piles of food, meanwhile there are children only a mile away who haven't had a full stomach in months. Your father's lies aren't fooling anyone but you and whoever else is in the castle."</p><p>    "But..." Roman stared at the ground in shock as he slowly sunk to his knees. His mind was racing, thoughts running a mile a minute. That couldn't be true - his father would never lie to him! This had to be a mistake!</p><p>    Sensing his disbelief, the stranger sighed. Hr cautiously approached the prince. </p><p>    "Come with me." He said, dropping the sword to the ground besides the Prince and holding his hand out to him. Roman stared at his hand for several long seconds, as though it might just be an illusion. With one swift moment, he put his sword back into its sheath, and took the stranger's hand. </p><p>    The stranger pulled him to his feet, and began leading him deeper into the forest. Roman followed him in silence.</p><p>    He wasn't sure how long they walked, but it couldn't have been longer than ten minutes. Before he knew it they had reached the other end of the forest, and had entered a new world.</p><p>    Roman gasped. The sight in front of him was horrifying. Houses made of rotting wood, looking like they would tumble down at any moment. The roads were thin and muddy, and something sour lurked in the air. Instinctively he held his breath.</p><p>    A cat darted across their path, and Roman stared at it in sadness. It wasn't wild, and it's ribs were clearly visible. Its fur was matted and falling out in clumps. It sped off out of sight before the Prince could see anything else. His stomach turned and he thought back to his own meals at home, where they regularly threw out the extra meat they didn't eat that day. That food could have fed that creature for years.</p><p>    "Come on," The stranger interrupted Roman's thoughts, walking off into the town. The Prince hesitated, but followed cautiously, his stomach growing more and more sick with each passing second.</p><p>    Roman watched the scene around him as they walked. A woman sat outside on her porch, watching her two children play in the dirt ahead. They laughed, but their clothes were torn and several sizes too small. The woman was much too thin, and the kids were getting to that point as well. Roman stopped, not being able to help his staring. That was how they lived? It was only when the stranger grabbed his arm and pulled him along that he stopped.</p><p>    They continued on, each house looking worse than the last. The whole scene terrified Roman, and he had no idea what to think. All this time, this was his people's lives? All this time he was sitting inside dressed in beautiful clothes, his people were suffering? What kind of prince was he?</p><p>    They turned a corner, and the stranger smiled softly ahead. Roman followed his gaze, and saw a small child sitting in the dirt, drawing a picture in the dust. He looked up when the saw them, and Roman gasped. The left side of his face was covered in a huge burn scar, covering the beautiful, rich brown skin that should have been there instead. It looked painful and clearly had never been treated properly. The child couldn't have been older than 7, yet it was clear he had already gone through so much suffering in his short life. Despite all of this, the child still smiled widely when he saw them.</p><p>    "Virgil!" He shouted, standing up and running towards the stranger who had been leading the Prince. His guide caught the child and hugged him tightly, smiling too.</p><p>    "Hey, I missed you too." Virgil chuckled, before he pulled away and turned to face Roman. The Prince stared at the child sheepishly, not speaking.</p><p>    "This is Dee, my little brother." He explained. "His parents died in a fire a few months ago. I took him in, he's my family now."</p><p>    Roman held out his hand, "Hi Dee, I'm Roman."</p><p>    Dee made a face, though he couldn't tell if it was of disgust or some other emotion. "Like prince Roman?"</p><p>    "Uhhh," Roman glanced over to Virgil, whose eyes held an amused look in them. He turned back to the child, "Yeah... Like prince Roman."</p><p>    Dee didn't say anything more, his attention on the Prince gone, and turned to Virgil. Roman was never more grateful for the short attention span of a child. "What's for dinner?"</p><p>    "I've got some good food today,"  Virgil grinned, and winked at Roman, who suddenly realized his bag full of food and supplies was missing. He chose not to say anything though, not after this. "You run back home, I'll be there soon."</p><p>    Dee nodded, and like that, he was gone. </p><p>    It was silent for several moments, before Virgil stood up and started back towards the woods. Roman stood as well, walking side by side with him. He didn't know what to say, and stayed quiet for about half of the trip. He finally forced himself to ask the question that had been on his mind since they arrived.</p><p>    "How long has it been like this?" His voice came out quiet, the earlier bold confidence gone. Virgil shook his head sadly.</p><p>    "For as long as I can remember."</p><p>    "I... That's not okay!" Roman exclaimed, stopping. Virgil looked at him and raised one brow, and Roman continued.</p><p>    "It's not right! There's no reason for anyone to live like this, at all... Dee doesn't deserve that, neither do you or any child or anyone living here or anywhere else!" He grabbed Virgil by the shoulders, "This has to change!"</p><p>    "Why are you telling me this, Princey?" Virgil asked, not moving away. "I've done my best to make life better here. I adopted Dee and care for him now, and I've given a home to two other orphans. I do what I can."</p><p>    "I know, I'm not telling you to change this," Roman spoke rapidly, taking his hands back. He stared at Virgil, meeting his eyes and grabbing one of his hands solemnly. </p><p>    "Listen to me, Virgil. I swear to you on my life, I will change this." Roman promised, "You and Dee and the other two orphans will have a real home and good food all the time, and so will everyone else in this town - no, this kingdom! I swear it!"</p><p>    "Lots of people can make promises, Princey." Virgil said, slowly pulling his hand back. "Are you one of the few who can keep them?"</p><p>    Roman smiled at the man across from him, more honorable than any royal he'd ever known. Everything he learned in the palace was a lie... It had never been the king or any other royal holding the kingdom together. It had been people like Virgil all alone.</p><p>    Roman unsheathed his sword, taking it in both hands. He bowed, presenting the sword to the man, who stared in suspicion, before he took it cautiously.</p><p>    "I am." The Prince promised. With those words, he set off towards home. It was time to fix a few things.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Warnings: Swearing</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Though Roman had promised himself the second he entered his home he would get to work, things didn't go exactly how he planned. It had started raining on the way back and the early darkness that settled in had caused him to get lost. This meant by the time he did manage to stumble into the courtyard, soaked and exhausted, everyone had noticed he was gone and was already on the lookout, greatly worried for their prince.</p><p>    The second he got back he was bombarded with questions of where he had been and if he was okay, and he could hardly get any explanation out. When it quieted down he immediately demanded to speak to his father. However... He was sent to his room to dry off and then go to sleep, as everyone was worried he would get sick. Roman tried to protest but eventually gave in, too exhausted both mentally and physically to argue more. It would have to wait until the morning.</p><p>    However, the second he entered his room he regretted not just staying out there to argue with his staff some more. That would have been much more relaxing than the interaction that was surely to come.</p><p>    "Remus, what the hell are you doing?" Roman sighed, seeing his brother was in his bedroom. Remus immediately hid something behind his back, looking like he was about to shout something, but paused.</p><p>    "Wow. Bro, you look like shit."</p><p>    Roman rolled his eyes, throwing the towel that had been given to him over his head to dry his hair, "Like you look any better, ever." </p><p>    "Well, yeah, but that's me." The other Prince shrugged, discreetly tossing something under the bed - Roman figured he could deal with that later. "Seriously though, you look like you got run over by 50 horses, then you were stabbed, and then drowned a couple times."</p><p>    "Now you're just being dramatic." Roman said, tearing off his muddy shirt and throwing it aside. He quickly threw on another more comfortable one before falling back onto his bed and sighing, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to will away an oncoming headache. "Honestly though, I'd prefer that to what did happen."</p><p>    "You gonna explain or leave me to guess? Because I can definitely do guessing. Did you sneak down to the dungeon? I mean no one's down there but I set up some crazy traps to catch the rats and -"</p><p>    "I snuck out Remus. Out of the castle."</p><p>    "Oh." Remus grew quiet, a rare occurrence. "Uh... Where to?"</p><p>    "The woods first... But then one of the nearby villages." Roman sat up, staring at his brother with a saddened look on his face, "It's horrible there! They're dying, I saw it. They're starving and sick and -"</p><p>    "I know."</p><p>    "-and suffering and - wait," Roman stopped, "You know?"</p><p>    Remus rolled his eyes, "Obviously I know. I do spent a lot of time in the dungeons, but you think I stay there as much as I claim? I've been sneaking out since we turned 13."</p><p>    Roman stared at his brother in shock, opening and closing his mouth multiple times as his mind tried to find the words it was looking for. </p><p>    "You've known all this time?" He demanded, suddenly angry, "You've known for that long?! People have died, Remus, why didn't you do anything?!"</p><p>    "Why didn't I do anything?" Remus repeated, throwing his hands up, "What the hell do you want me to do?"</p><p>    "Tell father!"</p><p>    Remus went completely still for several long moments, and Roman wondered if that had offended him somehow. But just before it got too worrying, Remus' lips twitched. He suddenly fell into hysterical laughter, doubling over as he did so. It was about thirty seconds in that Roman's face reddened in anger.</p><p>    "Why are you laughing??"</p><p>    "Tell Dad??" Remus laughed even more, "Oh my god, are you actually that stupid?? Dad knows, Roman!"</p><p>    "He..." Roman felt like he'd been punched in the face. "He what?"</p><p>    "Oh jeez," Remus wiped a tear from his eye, trying to calm himself from laughing so hard, "Are you really that dense? You always brag about how that whole extra minute you've got being born first must've given you all the brain cells, but somehow you missed the fact that Dad caused all this."</p><p>    "Stop, that's not true!" Roman defended, standing up, "Father would never do that, what are you even talking about!?"</p><p>    "Okay well, him and his dad," Remus said, nodding as though he were compromising. "But it was dad who made us the richest and best kingdom in all the land, right?" Roman didn't say anything, but he did know the king often did brag about that. "Well, how do you think he did that? All the food and wealth of everyone goes to us here and his military, the people aren't getting anything and haven't been for at least half a century now. Probably more."</p><p>    "Why didn't you tell me all this?" Roman asked slowly, the pieces slowly starting to be out together now in his head. Remus looked on the verge of collapsing into laughter again.</p><p>    "Why would I? You sure seemed to be enjoying it, being the golden child and all. You got everything and you've been pretty content having tea parties in the most expensive clothes possible everyday. Why would you care?"</p><p>    "I didn't know people were dying!" Roman exclaimed, "How was I supposed to know??"</p><p>    "Maybe by taking your head out of your a-"</p><p>    "Enough!" Roman shook his head, "If I'm so bad for not knowing, what about you?? You've known and you've done nothing! You could've tried to change things!"</p><p>    "Wow you are dillusional." The prince rolled his eyes, "Did you want me to go pass a new law or something? I'm the mistake child, Roman, you're the only one with any power here. You know mom and dad are disgusted with me - I'm not getting any power and they haven't even made an attempt at marrying me off to some other kingdom - which I'm definitely fine with, but you get my point. My words mean nothing here, I'm only royalty in name and hardly anything else." Roman started to speak, but he wasn't done yet. "And before you say I've done nothing, maybe you should rethink your words."</p><p>    Roman scoffed, "All you do is spend half your time in the dungeons and steal food from the kitchens."</p><p>    Remus smirked, "Hey Roman, why do you think I'm stealing the food?" Roman froze, and Remus continued. "I take more food than anyone can eat and I still keep this hot body, so obviously I haven't been gourging myself. I'm 'in the dungeons' most of the day," He put air quotes around those words. "You really think I've been down there all this time? Who do you think the food is going to? I've been doing more for all of our people than you've done in your entire life."</p><p>    Remus shook his head, and started walking out of the room. Roman didn't stop him. When he did get to the door, though, he paused.</p><p>    "Roman?"</p><p>    "Yeah?"</p><p>    Remus sighed, "Glad you know the truth now, but... You better do something about it." He grinned, "Because I'm gonna keep putting stink bombs under your bed now until you do."</p><p>    "You - hey!" Roman shot up out of bed just in time to see Remus run off, and groaned. Sure enough, he just started to notice the rotting smell. "You've gotta be kidding me..." He mumbled, rubbing his head.</p><p>    The headache wouldn't be going away anytime soon.</p><p>    ***</p><p>    "Prince Roman?" </p><p>    Roman groaned, pulling his blanket over his head and trying to block out the sound of the knocking on his door. His brain was off, he just wanted sleep.</p><p>    The knocking continued. "Roman? Kiddo, it's past lunch time, you need to get up." A short pause, then a sigh. "Come on, wake up or I'm coming in."</p><p>    Roman grunted, and knew the man outside had known him long enough to know that that meant he could come in. He heard the door swing open, and footsteps approached his bed. They then walked right past him, and seconds later a bright light filled the room.</p><p>    "Patton!" The Prince exclaimed, covering his eyes, "Do you have to open the windows now?"</p><p>    Patton smiled. "Yes, I do. It's time to get up, Kiddo!"</p><p>    Roman looked up at him. Patton had been his personal servant for years now, but he was really his best friend. They were both around the same age and Roman had befriended him when they were younger, longing for friendship with people his own age besides Remus. He had gotten him promoted to his personal servant as an excuse to be around him more around 5 years back, and they'd been best friends since. </p><p>    But that didn't mean he couldn't be annoyed with him right now. Roman groaned and fell back into his bed and shut his eyes again. He didn't want to face the world again; not yet.</p><p>    Patton looked at him concerned, "Roman, are you okay? You're usually up early..." He gasped, "Are you sick?? I heard Mariam say she was worried about you being sick earlier, but I didn't know why-"</p><p>    "Patton, you haven't always lived in the castle, have you?" Roman asked, pushing his friend's concerns to the side. He could deal with those later. </p><p>    Patton frowned, confused by this shift in conversation, "Um, no... I came here to work when I was 13, why?"</p><p>    "Where did you live before here?"</p><p>    "Roman, what's this about-"</p><p>    "I snuck out yesterday." Roman blurted, ignoring Patton's shocked look. "I snuck out, Patton, and I didn't know how awful it was out there until I was there!" He shook his head, mouth and mind running a mile a minute, "I didn't know about it, but the people are dying out there. I tried to tell Remus, but he already knew, he's been sneaking out for years! He said it was dad's fault and I don't understand how he acted like this was common knowledge, but I never knew and I just never did anything and I feel so horrible and-"</p><p>    "Roman! Breathe, it's okay." Patton took Roman's hands, knowing from experience that was the best way to ground him when he got like this, "Deep breaths kiddo, one at a time."</p><p>    Roman inhaled deeply, letting out his breath slowly. This action was repeated several times before Patton accepted he was okay.</p><p>    "Roman, I know it's bad out there - that's why I'm here now." He said, "I had to provide for myself so my family wouldn't have to. I know how horrible it is."</p><p>    "Did you not think I would take it seriously either?" Roman asked, holding his head in his hands. "That's why Remus didn't tell me. I'm so sorry Patton, I never wanted you to feel like you couldn't trust me, I never knew about this! I swear!"</p><p>    "Heavens no, Roman!" Patton exclaimed, pulling him in for a hug, "I just don't talk about it a lot, it wasn't because of you! I never thought that!"</p><p>    Roman hugged him back tightly before pulling away, looking at his friend sadly, "I can't keep on like this knowing people are suffering, Pat." He said, "I was going to tell father, so he could help fix it, but..." He sighed, "Remus said he's the reason. He's not going to help and won't change anything. Remus is helping but not in a way that's going to bring about any real or longterm change.."</p><p>    Patton was quiet for a few moments, but then smiled.</p><p>    "Well, you're right about the king not being much help, but you're forgetting about someone, Roman." Patton grinned when Roman stared at him in confusion.</p><p>    "You, silly!"</p><p>    Roman scoffed, "Patton, I'm not king, I can't do anything. I don't have any power besides the illusion of it."</p><p>    "And that's exactly what you're going to use." Patton explained, "Roman, think about it. Your father is only getting away with this because no one is stepping up and no one cares, and quite frankly I don't think a lot of people know. You need to get the word out."</p><p>    "But to who?"</p><p>    "To the people! If they know you want to help, they're gonna start being loyal to you instead of your father. And he will be worried about the threat of being overthrown if they love you more, and will be forced to help them get better." Patton stood up, "And I'm sure there's people in the castle who will want to help too. You have more power than you think, Kiddo."</p><p>    "But I don't want to overthrow him, Patton," Roman said slowly, "He's still my father..."</p><p>    "I don't think you'll have to," Patton said thoughtfully, "You just need to get him afraid enough to change some things."</p><p>   Roman thought about it, going silent for several long moments. "You're right..." He said slowly, grinning and standing up too, "I do have power! Oh thank you Pat!" He hugged his friend tightly, and pulled back before he knew what happened. "I have to start at once!" He exclaimed, running out of the room.</p><p>    Patton stood up, "Wait, Roman!! Shouldn't you get dressed?!"</p><p>    "That can wait!" The prince called back, and Patton shook his head, smiling softly. His hand gripped the locket around his neck, thinking of the small drawing laying inside of it. </p><p>    "He'll change things, Lo, I'm sure of it."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Part 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Really light swearing (some won't even consider it swearing), and there's a riot and threats of revolution. Let me know if I missed something.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Royalty sucks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil held the sword above his head, pointing it towards the heavens and twisting it in his palm, watching as it practically glowed in the moonlight. it hadn’t lost any of its shine, despite it sitting in the handmade sheath fashioned at the young man’s side for three months now. Three months of starvation and empty stomachs. Three months of sleepless nights passing by.  Three months of tear filled days. Three months of silence from the royal family. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Three months of silence from Roman. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why the hell do I even still have this?” Virgil muttered to himself, still staring up at the sword in his hand. Of course, he knew why; he was clinging to the last bit of hope he still had left. Hope that maybe, just maybe, the Prince really was going to help. Hope that maybe he wasn’t a liar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ha, fat chance of that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God, Virgil, stop believing anything any man says just because he’s hot,” Virgil mumbled to himself, dropping his arm - and the sword with it - to the soft grass besides him. The coolness crept through the sleeves of his cloak, but not enough to be bothersome or convince him to move. Even if it was, the cold ground was a nice relief from the warm and humid air that surrounded him. It was summer now, and even the darkness of midnight couldn’t keep the heat away any longer, and it only made Virgil more anxious. It was midsummer, already, and the months were passing by so quickly. Next thing he knew, it would be fall and then winter and he would have to spend another season lighting fires and trying to keep Dee, Emile, and Thomas from freezing to death. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Biting his lip, he closed his eyes and tried to silence his thoughts, willing the nerves to go away. Unfortunately for him, crickets and the distant sound of the river weren’t loud enough to cover the thoughts. Neither were the footsteps coming directly towards his clearing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wait, footsteps?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil flew up into a sitting position before he could even open his own eyes, grasping the handle of the sword so tightly his knuckles turned white. He rose to his feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man stepped into the clearing easily, and Virgil relaxed as he saw the familiar white wisps of hair that stuck out from his black hood, creating a veil that covered the man’s deep brown eyes. The mask covering the lower half of his face matched the dark shade of the hood, and the cloak went down his back to his ankles, a backdrop to the dark green pants and dirty brown boots he wore every time he was seen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was The Duke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, he wasn’t really a duke - everyone knew that, and he made no effort to argue he really was - but no one knew who or what he actually was either. He had shown up one day almost a decade ago, bringing various villages and towns food that he got from who knows where. He refused to give out his name or show his face to anyone, and only introduced himself as simply, The Duke. So that was what they called him. Most assumed it was chosen to mock those living in pleasure and wealth, but he never gave out his reasons either.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite the mystery surrounding his identity and the rather crude and strange behaviors he exhibited, he grew to be loved dearly by everyone in the kingdom. When one’s child fell ill, he was the first to bring real medicine. When one was homeless, he always knew a family available to take them in. When one needed just a little more money to get by, he had it for them the next day. He would join the town’s children and teach them how to make toys out of scraps or ways to prank their friends. Otherdays, he would spend his time trying to befriend the sickly stray animals that lurked across the streets, and he almost always succeeded. He was childish and at times seemed to have no idea how to act in public, but he was loved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil could tell that regardless of where he was from, he hadn’t felt that way at home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was about two years after his first visit that Virgil met him. At the time Virgil had been one of the homeless and forgotten children he now took care of, and The Duke had brought him food. That first interaction had surprised him; he had heard many stories of this man, but he never pictured him to be around the same age as himself. He had been so young all those years ago, and was still able to help so many people. Virgil had respected him ever since. The Duke had decided Virgil was going to be his friend that day, and visited him every few months he was able to… But even he had never seen his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Virgil!” The Duke shouted, walking towards him, and Virgil could tell he was smiling by his eyes. He let out a sigh of relief and put the sword back into its sheet, missing the way the other man stared at it in recognition.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude… Stop sneaking up on me like that, seriously,” Virgil breathed out, chuckling, “You scared the hell out of me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oops, sorry about that.” The Duke laughed, and clapped, “But I have news! What, did you want me to just take longer to show up and wait until after you finished your existential crisis?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bold of you to assume I’ll ever finish that,” He shook his head, watching as The Duke plopped himself on the ground, before he sat back down as well, “But what’s up?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Revolution.” He said, as though that explained everything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil blinked. “Excuse me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I need you to lead a fake revolution.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That clarifies absolutely nothing,” Virgil stared at his friend incredulously, “You want me to do what now? Lead a fake revolution? What the hell are you talking about?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, there’s been a plan set up to fix all these problems here!” The Duke explained joyously, glancing down again to the sword at Virgil’s side, before returning to his explanation, “A false alarm of revolution, just a huge riot, one that will terrify the king into changing the way he rules.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There is no way on Earth that will work,” Virgil rolled his eyes, making no effort to hide his disdain. “There have been threats of riots plenty of times and they always get shut down. It usually makes him even worse, there’s no reason to do that. Waste of time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Duke’s eyes glistened mischievously, “Other riots didn’t have two Princes threatening to take the throne.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil froze. “The Princes?” Did that mean… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yup! The twin Princes, Remus and Roman, both are ready to threaten to take the throne when these revolutions happen, if their father doesn’t do something about it that actually helps. They’re on our side!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy crap…” Virgil breathed out, a hint of a smile on his lips, “Are you for real? They really are going to do that?” He stopped again, and narrowed his eyes, “Wait, how do you know that? How do they know about this revolution? Wait, no, back up. How do you know? Who planned it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Princes actually did come up with the plan, with one of their servants. And, well…” He paused, looking to the ground and getting lost in his thoughts. Virgil let him ponder for several moments; he needed time to consider things, Virgil knew that. The clock ticked on, and he tried to ignore his growing anxiety and be patient. He played with the fabric of his shirt nervously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, The Duke looked up. His hand slowly rose to his hood, pushing it off before gently pulling the mask off his face as well. He smiled, but it didn’t mask his nervousness, “I know because I’m Prince Remus.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You-” Virgil stared in silent shock, instantly recognizing the identical twin of Roman. Before he could react in an appropriate and logical manner any further, a laugh escaped his throat, and before he knew it, he was doubled over laughing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, why are you laughing!” The other prince demanded, frowning, “What’s so funny!?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” Virgil exclaimed between bouts of laughter, “just, this!” More laughing, and he inhaled deeply in an effort to calm himself. Once he got himself down to only a slight giggle, he sighed and wiped a tear from his eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here I was, cursing Roman and the whole royal family, and you’re right here asking me to lead a revolution - a fake one at that. This is literally the most dramatic plan I’ve ever heard, and this whole situation is just so… so crazy and surreal I don’t know how else to react.” He shook his head, still smiling to himself, “And the fact that you’re royalty, and for a secret identity you just called yourself a different title?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was like, thirteen and panicking when I picked that!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wiping his eye again, Virgil shook his head, growing serious, “But why do you want me to lead this fake revolution thing? That seems like horrible planning on your part, full offense. What do you want me to do, get up there and threaten to have an anxiety attack?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll do great!” Remus argued, “You can be psycho if you want to - don’t try lying to me, you nearly killed me when you saw me letting Dee pet a snake.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He was 5 years old!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pff, so what? I almost caught a rat when I was 6 - I think it might have been rabid though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s worse??”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“ANYWAYS!” Remus shouted, deciding then and there that the subject was to be changed, “I’m not gonna lie, but you were actually our second choice. Patton’s boyfriend he hasn’t seen in like 2 years said no, like a coward. He was all like-” Remus stood up, adjusting what Virgil assumed to be an imaginary pair of glasses and mocking whoever that person was, his voice overly exaggerated and strict, “No, Remus, I believe that would be unwise. My skills are best put to use behind the scenes, as you would say, and not on the frontlines. But do send Patton my best wishes, and tell him I said I’m a complete wimp and a dork who can’t even do something as simple as leading a whole fake revolution!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil guessed that last part wasn’t his exact wording.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, well that doesn’t mean I’m any better!” Virgil argued, “Seriously, if it’s fake - do the people know that? I can’t get that many people prepared for a fake revolution without word getting out to the king. He’ll find out and the whole plan will be ruined.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh you don’t have to worry about that,” Remus winked, “I’ve gotten that all handled! Rumors have been going around and I’ve already almost gotten everybody ready for a real riot to start the revolution. Roman can and will bribe half the knights and soldiers and they won’t attack immediately - they’ll just kinda stand there acting as a wall, defending the castle.” Remus paused, looking up and gasping, “Hey, look, I can see Ursa Major!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Du- I mean, Remus, focus and tell me the plan.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, right.” Remus grinned, “Okay, so, here we go….”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Step 1. You and your crowds are gonna demand Roman be put on the throne…”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The instructions spoken three days ago replayed vividly in Virgil’s mind now, his purple eyes glowing with determination as he led the crowd behind him. The air was filled with smoke from the fires they carried, and their voices rang out together in a great shout. They wanted one thing, and they made this clear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Put the son on the throne! Put the son on the throne! Put the son on the throne!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nerves shook their leader to the core, but he had to focus on the plan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Step 2. Word will get to the castle. That’s where we will be, and we will make sure to be with our father when he gets the news.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Inside the castle, a young servant ran into the room, panting. The door slamming shut alerted all to his presence, and the king raised one eyebrow in question. He did not notice his sons both holding their breaths.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a riot,” The servant gasped, “Outside the castle. They won’t leave and they are chanting their demands.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do they want?” The King demanded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They are saying,” The servant hesitated, trying to put the news as gently as possible. He looked up at the king from his position, kneeling in respect at the foot of the throne. “Put the son on the throne. They claim you are starving and oppressing them, and they want your son, Prince Roman, to rule.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“That will lead us to step 3. No matter what the guards threaten, you cannot back down. They won’t attack unless the King orders them to, and we won’t let him.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil held his breath as the Knight in front of him screamed, ordering him to leave immediately. Virgil refused to move, clenching his teeth and staring straight ahead. </span>
  <b>
    <em>“But what if they do attack?” Virgil had asked, worriedly, but Remus simply shook his head.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“They won’t. You’ll just have to trust us, okay?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil hoped he wouldn’t regret that trust as he gripped the handle of Roman’s sword tightly, drawing his strength from it. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked over to see another man standing there. Dressed in dark blue, a small pair of glasses sat atop his nose as he looked down at the nervous man. He looked more fit to be in a study at home than joining in a riot, but he was here nonetheless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad they found a suitable replacement,” He said, shouting over the numerous voices behind them, “I really am not built for leading things like this, but that doesn’t mean I don’t support it happening. And I never once said that I wouldn’t be here.” He smiled, “You have done a great job, they picked the right person. We’re all in this battle together.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil grinned back; He really wasn’t alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wouldn’t doubt the princes. He wouldn’t doubt Remus, and he wouldn’t doubt Roman again. He wouldn’t doubt his friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Confidence soared, and he raised his fist high above his head. He smiled despite his fears, boldly shouting out with his followers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Put the son on the throne!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Step 4. Roman will threaten to fulfill the crowd’s request, shouting on your behalf and arguing for you.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is ridiculous!” The King shouted, and the servant shrank back, “It will be okay, we can easily chase them off -”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Father,” Roman interrupted suddenly, facing his father at full height, “The people are suffering. That is why they are rioting. You can’t just let this continue.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re absolutely right I won’t let this continue, they will all be punis-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, they won’t.” Roman’s face hardened into an unreadable expression, “They want change, and I know even many of the people here in this castle do too, the ones here working to escape the cruel life you’ve given to them outside the castle walls.” He inhaled deeply, speaking smoothly. “They want change. If you won’t give it to them, then I will.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Step 5. Roman is the firstborn and has always been the favorite, and Father knows how excited he has always been to one day be king when he passes. He will threaten to give that privilege to me. But I never wanted the throne anyways; I’ll join him.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Roman, sit down.” The King commanded, “Stop this ridiculous behavior at once. Look, even your brother knows when to be quiet here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman glanced towards his brother, and his subtle nod gave him strength. He turned back to his father, speaking bravely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. You’re wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want to lose your entire future, son? Because this is how you lose your right to the throne. It is not your place to deal with this, and if you say another word, then your brother will have the right to be king, not you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Roman is right!” Remus shouted, “If they want you off the throne, then so be it,” He grinned, eyes wide and head tiliting, knowing his expressions could offput his father and using it to his advantage, “Actually, I wouldn’t mind a bit of blood shed in another revolution myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The King glanced back and forth between his sons in shock, and Remus grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Step 6. Show him he has no support.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the knights were ordered to take the Princes to their room, the ultimate test began. The King verses the princes. The father verses his sons. The old ways verses the new.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The new won.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One refused, and the others followed him. The King stared at the scene unfolding before him in shock, as the soldiers he once called loyal turned to his sons, bowing respectfully. He didn’t speak as they began giving orders. He didn’t even listen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Step 7. End this for good.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil’s voice was going hoarse, and it felt as though this had been going on for hours. He didn’t know how long this was supposed to last, but he knew he had to give the princes time. Time was all they needed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Virgil,” The man - who he had since learned was named Logan - said, catching his attention. He let his chants stop, and he saw where the other man was pointing. The soldiers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were backing up, and heading back to their home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did…” Virgil stared in shock, “Did it work?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know…” Logan admitted softly, “Do we stay here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The crowd had quieted, the only sound being soft whispering as everyone wondered what was happening. The knights were gone, and they no longer knew what to do. That is, until someone in the crowd shouted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s someone coming!” They said, and everyone looked to the horizon where the knights had just departed. Were they coming back? That wouldn’t make any sense, leaving just to come back to attack. It couldn’t be the army.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, it wasn’t the military. It was… the servants?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were led by a man with soft curls and round glasses, smiling a sweet gap toothed smile. They carried baskets and cloth, and as they got nearer, he began to shout to them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have food!” He announced, smiling, “Enough for all of you, the Princes ordered it! You can all eat, and soon we will rebuild the kingdom, so you can all live safely and happily. Your struggles are over!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil’s face slowly lit up; he couldn’t believe it. This ridiculous plan had actuallyworked? They had done it? Had they really scared the king into changing his ways? Or, had Roman and Remus really taken over?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Logan, can you believe it-” He turned to his new friend, but stopped abruptly when he saw his face. Frozen in awe, Virgil traced his line of sight, and saw the servant who had been speaking had caught his eye. He was staring right back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Logan?” The servant shouted, and the next thing he knew, he was racing towards them at full speed. Virgil backed up and watched as he jumped into Logan’s arms, who caught him and immediately buried his face in his shoulder. He was silent, and it was too loud at this point to hear anything anyways, but Virgil could see both of their shoulders shake from crying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So, this was Patton.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil smiled, and backed away, letting them have their space. There would be plenty of time to speak later.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nightfall had come early, and Virgil leaned against a tree a fair distance away from the castle. The people had been invited inside for the night, so they could get a safe night of rest before returning home the next day. Repairs would be slow, they all knew, but they would happen now. Knowing this allowed them to rest happily for the first time in months, and they would leave full of hope in the morning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Virgil stayed outside, not wanting to go inside that night. He missed his brothers, and just wanted to go home. He knew Thomas was old enough to watch Emile and Dee for the night, but he still hated leaving them alone for any amount of time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t know why he hadn’t left immediately. He didn’t know why he wasn’t already on his way home. Well, that was a lie; he definitely knew why. He just wasn’t going to admit to himself that he had hoped he would see Roman again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew he’d see Remus again; that fool loved him and loved playing with his brothers too much to desert them. But Roman…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had done just much as Remus today, and he wanted to get the chance to apologize to him for ever doubting him. The Prince had kept his promise, and had gone out with his brother personally to help rally the people and had spent so much time thinking up every possible scenerio and outcome - that was why it had taken three months. Not because he was a liar. He stood up to his father, and he helped make this happen. Virgil’s guilt weighed on him, however, and he wasn’t going to go inside to see him. He couldn’t face him. But… He knew he had something to return.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil sighed softly, and looked up into the sky at the stars above him. They seemed to glisten brighter than ever before tonight; perhaps they had been fueled by the people’s hope too. The hope had been restored, and everything seemed more brilliantly beautiful. Everything was connected.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I finally found you.” Virgil spun around at the voice behind him, hand instinctively on the sword at his side. His gaze softened when he saw who it was, and he immediately launched himself forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woah!” Roman laughed as the used to be stranger hugged him tightly, “I did not remember you this clingy-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me neither,” Virgil laughed bitterly, pulling himself away and looking up at the prince, “I just… It’s been a crazy day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me about it.” Roman chuckled, and sat down against the tree, patting the grass besides him for Virgil to join him. He smiled when he did, “I’m exhausted.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Me too…” Virgil said softly, before he looked down to the ground, words coming out awkwardly, “I, uh… Did you end up overthrowing your father? Are you king now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I don’t know,” Roman admitted, biting the inside of his cheek, “I mean, the guards are apparently more loyal to me and Remus, and Father is currently locked in his room and he isn’t happy, but… We might give him another chance. Maybe. I don’t know yet,” He smiled sadly, “I don’t know if I’m ready to be king yet, and Remus doesn’t want to be..”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are ready.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman stared at him in question, but saw no sarcastic grin or ingenuinity in his eyes. He was sincere. Red cheeks safely hidden in the darkness, he looked down and shook his head softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No problem…” Virgil said softly, and the two let themselves slip into comfortable silence. They stayed close to one another and watched the stars above quietly, neither wanting to shatter the fragile silence. It lasted for a long time, yet still not enough at all. Virgil knew he would have to leave soon, and he still had something to return. With a sigh, he spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Oh, you probably want this back-” Virgil said, as he sat up straight and went to take the sword out. Before he could, however, Roman’s hand on his own stopped him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Keep it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” He asked, and Roman just nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Think of it as a thanks.” He said, standing up. Virgil’s face scrunched up in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A thanks to me?” He asked, uncertain, “I should be thanking you, and apologizing for doubting you. I didn’t do anything for you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes you did,” Roman said, words as sure as day “You showed me the… painful truth, even if I didn’t want to see it. I don’t ever want to live like that, ignorant of your suffering. Not when it’s supposed to be my job as prince to help those in need.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still don’t think…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shush, just take my thanks already Nightmare.” Virgil rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, thank you too then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman nodded, and started off back towards the castle. Virgil didn’t move, watching him silently. He paused only a few steps away, looking back hesitantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you seem to like living in the forest for some reason, but winter will be here soon enough. If you and Dee or any one else in your family ever need a warm bed, you’re always welcome here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil watched in silence as he walked off after this, disappearing into the darkness without another word. He would still worry, but many of his troubles would be put to rest soon. The Prince would change things. Both Princes would. Soon, the kingdom would be restored to its former glory, and all of its people would rejoice. A smile tugged at the man’s lips, and he let it win as he whispered quietly to himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks Princey.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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